Baked Brie Fondue

Ingredients

• 1 wheel, 12 cm, 354 gdouble-cream brie, removed from its wrapper
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)dry white wine
• To tastefresh rosemary, chopped
• To tasteFrench baguette, cut into bite-sized cubes
• To tastecornichons (gherkins or French pickles)
• To tastecherry tomatoes
• To tastesliced meats

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the bread

   Preheat the oven grill. Spread the baguette cubes on a baking sheet and drizzle them lightly with oil. Grill until the tops are browned and crisp; leave them unturned so the other sides stay soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.

2. 2

   Prepare the brie

   Preheat the oven to 188°C (370°F). Put the brie in an ovenproof dish and score an X into the top with a sharp knife. Gently lift the corners of the X and press from underneath to open the cut slightly, keeping the wheel intact.

3. 3

   Add wine and rosemary

   Pour 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of wine over the brie and scatter over the chopped rosemary.

4. 4

   Bake until melted

   Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges of the cut curl slightly and the cheese is visible. Pour the remaining wine into the X, then bake for a further 5 minutes, or until the brie is melted and gooey.

5. 5

   Use a slow cooker

   Alternatively, place everything in the slow cooker and cook on high for about 40 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted. Switch to the warm setting to keep the fondue hot for dipping.

6. 6

   Serve straight away

   Serve immediately with the croutons, cornichons, cherry tomatoes and sliced meats.

What is baked brie fondue?

Fondue is a Swiss tradition of dipping pieces of food into melted cheese, while brie is a soft French cheese. This version keeps the cheese in its wheel and bakes it until the centre is ready for dipping.

Wine and rosemary add flavour, and the scored top lets the cheese open as it heats. Bread, pickles, tomatoes and sliced meats offer a mix of crisp, tangy and savoury bites.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 267 calories, 12g protein, 43g carbs, 5g fat.

The baguette provides most of the carbohydrates, while brie contributes much of the fat and protein; the wine and rosemary add flavour in smaller quantities. Serve with plenty of tomatoes and cornichons alongside the bread and sliced meats for a varied plate.

Choosing the brie

Wheel size: use a 12 cm, 354 g wheel of double-cream brie as specified. Removing the wrapper before baking helps the cheese sit directly in its ovenproof dish.

Scoring: cut an X into the top without slicing through the wheel. Opening the corners gently gives the wine a place to settle while helping the cheese keep its shape.

The wine and rosemary

Wine: dry white wine brings a little acidity to the rich cheese. Add half before baking and pour the rest into the cut after the first 10 minutes.

Rosemary: chop the fresh leaves so they are easy to scatter over the brie. Its aromatic flavour complements the cheese without needing a complicated seasoning mix.

Getting the texture right

Bread: grill the cubes until their tops are browned and crisp, but leave them unturned so the other sides remain soft. This gives each piece a firm surface for dipping.

Cheese: look for slightly curled edges around the cut after 10 minutes, then return the dish to the oven for 5 minutes after adding the remaining wine. The centre should be melted and gooey before serving.

Oven or slow cooker

Oven: the method heats the brie at 188°C (370°F) and takes 15 minutes of baking, after the bread has been grilled. Keep an eye on the cheese towards the end so you can serve it while it is molten.

Slow cooker: the alternative takes about 40 minutes on high, followed by the warm setting. The recipe gives no separate bread-toasting instruction for this method, so prepare the bread as needed for dipping.

What to serve alongside

For dipping: serve the toasted baguette cubes with cornichons, cherry tomatoes and sliced meats. The assortment makes it easy to alternate creamy cheese with crisp bread and sharper accompaniments.

Serve the brie immediately while it is melted. Arrange the sides within easy reach so everyone can dip without leaving the cheese to cool.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use an ovenproof dish that holds the brie snugly so it is easy to serve.
• Cut the X into the rind without cutting through the sides of the wheel.
• Keep the bread cubes in a single layer so their tops brown evenly.
• Leave the bread unturned during grilling to retain a softer underside.
• Have the accompaniments ready before the brie comes out of the oven.
• Use the slow cooker’s warm setting only after the cheese has melted.

Variations

• Herb swap: use another fresh herb in place of rosemary for a different aroma.
• Fruit side: serve pieces of fresh fruit alongside the listed dipping options.
• Extra crunch: add crisp vegetable sticks to the platter.
• Bread choice: use another crusty loaf cut into bite-sized cubes.
• Pickle swap: offer another sharp pickle instead of cornichons.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Cutting too deeply: the wheel can lose its shape, so score only the top.
• Turning the bread: the cubes may crisp on both sides, so leave them as they are while grilling.
• Adding all the wine at once: follow the two-stage method, using half before baking and the rest after 10 minutes.
• Stopping too early: return the brie to the oven for 5 more minutes if it is not yet melted and gooey.
• Letting it cool: serve straight away while the cheese is hot and ready for dipping.

How to store

This fondue is best served immediately while melted. Refrigerate leftover brie and accompaniments separately in covered containers and use within 2 days; reheat the cheese gently in an ovenproof dish until melted, and refresh the bread separately.

Frequently asked questions